Using Exchange Server 2007 for Unified Messaging
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Microsoft IT designed and deployed a unified messaging system using Exchange Server 2007. Key aspects included consolidating multiple legacy voice mail systems onto fewer Exchange servers, integrating voice mail with email via Active Directory, and connecting physical phone systems to the unified system through VoIP gateways. The project involved designing server requirements, connectivity options, features to implement, and conducting a staged user migration pilot before full rollout.
Using Exchange Server 2007 for Unified Messaging
- 1. How Microsoft IT designed and deployed unified messaging in the enterprise network Using Exchange Server 2007 for Unified Messaging Published: August 2007
- 2. Agenda VoIP Communication Unified Messaging Prior to Exchange Server 2007 Reasons for Microsoft IT to Deploy Unified Messaging Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Design Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Implementation Best Practices
- 3. Solution Overview Provide workers with anywhere, anytime access to e-mail, voice mail, and fax in one Inbox. Design and deploy infrastructure for next generation networking based on VoIP technology. Implement Exchange Server 2007 unified messaging (UM). Exchange Server 2007–based UM environment provides the next generation of UM functionality for anytime, anywhere e-mail and voice mail access. Potential to extend UM service to more field sites. New UM features, such as Outlook Voice Access Centralized administration due to an Active Directory–based configuration model and user database. Integrated X solution helped Microsoft gain X. Business Challenge Solution Results/Benefits
- 4. VoIP Communication Traditionally, TDM-based trunks connected locations and provided the backbone for telephony With VoIP either a gateway or an IP PBX can connect IP networks to TDM trunks Microsoft IT uses VoIP trunking to connect PBX switches to the corporate network through VoIP gateways.
- 5. Unified Messaging Prior to Exchange Server 2007 ( Telephony and Network Infrastructure ) Site PBX Connectivity Users Third-party UM servers Redmond Intecom 5 T1 lines 40,000 5 Silicon Valley Nortel SL100 2 T1 lines 1,500 2 Shinjuku Nortel Meridian 2 sets of 16 digital SMDI lines 1,600 2 Mexico City Nortel Meridian 2 sets of 8 digital SMDI lines 500 2 Bangalore Nortel Meridian 2 sets of 8 digital SMDI lines 200 2 Singapore Nortel Meridian 2 sets of 8 digital SMDI lines 600 2 Sao Paulo Nortel Meridian 2 sets of 8 digital SMDI lines 500 2 Austin Nortel Meridian 2 sets of 8 digital SMDI lines 70 2
- 6. Unified Messaging Prior to Exchange Server 2007 ( Connectivity )
- 7. Unified Messaging Prior to Exchange Server 2007 ( PBXs ) Multiple PBX to handle the calls for many locations Intecom Nortel SL100 Nortel Meridian The PBXs support various interfaces for connectivity PBX-to-PBX connections PBX-to-trunk-line connections Third-party UM to PBX connections Data collection and SMDI
- 8. Unified Messaging Prior to Exchange Server 2007 ( E-Mail Messaging Infrastructure ) Data center Region Users Redmond Main campus, other locations in North America, and Latin America 60,000 Dublin Office locations in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East 25,000 Singapore Office locations in Asia and the South Pacific 15,000 Sao Paolo South America 2,000
- 9. Reasons for Microsoft IT to Deploy Unified Messaging Reduced costs Site and Server Consolidation User Self-service Active Directory Integration Next Generation Networking Administration, Operation, and Training Worker Productivity
- 10. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Design ( Components ) Telephony environment connected to PBX IP PBX or PBX with VoIP gateway IP environment
- 11. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Design ( Process ) Evaluate business and technical requirements Analyze consolidation options Determine number of users and calls Design server specs Determine connectivity needs Plan PBX integration Choose VoIP gateway Implement features Migrate users
- 12. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Design ( UM Servers ) Calls, user authentication, message processing Message size Message encoding Server load from processing operations End result and product group recommendation: One dual-core AMD Opteron 2.2 GHz processor 4 gigabytes (GB) RAM 50 GB for the operating system 20 GB for miscellaneous data 70 GB for Exchange server files
- 13. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Design ( Model Configurations )
- 14. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Design ( Available UM Features ) Outlook Voice Access Auto Attendant User self-service Voice mail form Active Directory representation
- 15. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Design ( PBX Integration Considerations ) Line Provisioning Signaling Integration Line call plan Hunt group/Pilot Number
- 16. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Design ( Supported VoIP Gateways ) Gateway Connectivity to telecommunications provider Signaling integration Intel PIMG80PBXDNI Digital set emulation Not applicable Intel PIMGG80LS Analog In-band Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) or SMDI integration Intel TIMG300DTI\600DTI T1 CAS or T1/E1 with Q.SIG Not applicable AudioCodes MediaPack 114/8 FXO Analog In-band DTMF or SMDI integration AudioCodes Mediant 2000 T1/E1 with CAS, and T1/E1 PRI with Q.SIG In-band DTMF or SMDI integration
- 17. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Design ( VoIP Gateway Considerations ) Analog/digital choice T1 CAS/T1 Q.SIG choice Supported port density SMDI integration Limitation on secondary connection Limitation on length Management features
- 18. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Design ( VoIP Gateways Selected ) Site connectivity type Example sites Gateway SMDI details T1 CAS–based connection Redmond Intel TIMG600DTI, Intel TIMG300DTI Two gateways connected to a split SMDI cable. Other gateways receive SMDI data through an IP network. T1 Q.SIG–based connection Sao Paulo AudioCodes Not applicable; integration data is carried by the twenty-fourth channel in the T1 PRI. Digital set emulation–based connection Austin, Mexico City Two PIMG80PBXDNI Not applicable.
- 19. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Design ( Monitoring ) PBX VoIP gateway UM server
- 20. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Design ( Security ) Security-enhanced protocols Trusted LANs IP security (IPsec) Strong password and other best practices
- 21. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Implementation ( Considerations ) Migration of existing voice mail Voice mail system coexistence Communication between new and existing voice mail systems Telecommunications requirements for running new and existing voice mail systems in parallel
- 22. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Implementation ( Migration Approach ) Migration possibilities Overnight migration Staged migration Requires all hardware components to be available at one time. X Can install and configure hardware components over time. X User migration occurs in groups. X Requires configuration and testing. X X Very rapid transition that requires user education before migration. X Can evaluate and fix major configuration issues before large numbers of users are affected. X Allows monitoring of port and server capacity for gradual growth. X Allows periodic issue resolution. X Can pilot with smaller set of users. X
- 23. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Implementation ( Production Teams ) Coordination and procurement team Engineering team Field site team
- 24. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Implementation ( Deployment Phases ) Preparation Procurement Gateway installation and configuration UM server integration Testing Pilot number and production rollout User support and education
- 25. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Implementation ( Preparation ) Multiple teams responsible Start with installing Exchange 2007 UM servers and configuring basic settings Engage teams at field site Identify initial pool of test users Review all documentation
- 26. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Implementation ( Procurement ) Gather requirements for orders Order components VoIP gateway Cabling Supporting hardware
- 27. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Implementation ( VoIP Gateways ) Install device Establish local connection to PBX Configure IP addresses Upload standard configuration to accept calls Verify SIP settings Set up QoS Test gateway with incoming call Verify that gateway receives integration information correctly Set up monitoring Download PBX details to create migration database Upgrade firmware
- 28. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Implementation ( UM Servers ) Create/configure UM dial plan Create/configure UM VoIP gateway Create/configure UM mailbox policy Create/configure UM hunt group Create UM dialing rules Assign UM dialing rules to dial plan and to mailbox policy Generate GAL Grammar
- 29. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Implementation ( Testing ) Test account and initial pool of test users Uses two checklists Check functionality and ensure all UM features work Check redundancy Checklist includes status for pass/fail and note Troubleshooting often involves checking SIP headers for call details from tests
- 30. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Implementation ( Pilot Number ) Pilot number used with initial pool of users Test live functionality before enabling all users for unified messaging services Results are captured for metrics Reports from test used for performance optimization and troubleshooting
- 31. Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging Implementation ( User Support and Education ) Custom e-mail messages sent to users with notifications E-mail messages have links to instructions and help on the Intranet Various internal help documents for common configuration and operational tasks for users
- 32. Best Practices Gather user and business requirements Maintain documentation Create custom user help Use test accounts Have a plan Test before production Verify deployment Create IPsec exemptions Maintain low bandwidth latency
- 33. For More Information Additional content on Microsoft IT deployments and best practices can be found on http://www.microsoft.com Microsoft IT Showcase Webcasts http://www.microsoft.com/howmicrosoftdoesitwebcasts Microsoft TechNet http://www.microsoft.com/technet/itshowcase
- 34. This document is provided for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT. © 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. This presentation is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY. Microsoft, Microsoft Press, Visual Studio, Visual SourceSafe, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
- 35. Appendix
Editor's Notes
- #2: Abstract This technical white paper describes how Microsoft IT provides users the next generation of Unified Messaging functionality with Exchange Server 2007. Introduction The technological advances from the 1970s to the 1990s enabled the birth of new messaging systems such as voice mail, e-mail, and fax, in addition to new methods for voice transmission, such as Voice over IP (VoIP). Traditionally, voice communication involved analog or digital transmission of data over distances by using physical wire through the plain old telephone service (POTS). Voice mail and fax communication occurred through POTS. The advent of the Internet and popularization of IP packet-switched networks gave rise first to e-mail, and then to VoIP communication. All these developments have gradually led to a convergence of disparate communication systems toward a common, unified infrastructure. Microsoft incorporates emerging communication systems and technologies into its corporate environment according to business needs. By deploying Microsoft® Exchange Server 2007, Microsoft benefited from new unified messaging (UM) capabilities that combine voice mail, e-mail, and fax messages into a single Inbox for users. Technologically, Exchange Server 2007 accomplishes this through a new UM server role, which accepts traditional voice data from private branch exchanges (PBXs) through VoIP gateways or directly through IP PBXs. This results in considerable cost savings and flexibility for the Microsoft Information Technology (Microsoft IT) group, which is responsible for designing and implementing Exchange Server 2007 UM servers at Microsoft. With Exchange Server 2007 and VoIP technology, Microsoft IT eliminated separate physical telephony links between PBX switches and enterprise devices such as UM servers. Instead, VoIP gateways enable Microsoft IT to integrate traditional PBX switches into the unified IP-based communications infrastructure.